I just had to write a post about this because I am super excited to have finally discovered a nut butter alternative: hello SunButter! A nut-allergy-girl’s dream, SunButter is made from sunflower seeds and is completely, 100%, NUT FREE. If only they started making this stuff ages ago my childhood could have been so different…then again I wouldn’t have had the luxury of being tormented by evil children with their peanut butter sandwiches at the lunch table as I would have had to sit in a peanut free zone with all of the other cool kids so let’s call that a win.

I originally discovered SunButter through Sun Cups, the holy grail of nut free Reese’s Pieces. My non-allergic boyfriend tested them out for me to confirm that, yes, they do in fact basically taste the same so I’m not really missing out on anything. I have never actually tasted peanut butter so the difference would mean nothing to me regardless but I still needed to know how legit they were. From there, I knew I had to get my hands on this stuff in raw form so that I could make ALL THE THINGS that I previously couldn’t thanks to their nut butter requirements.

Enter my beloved SunButter. This brand is amazing because they are totally dedicated to ensuring their product is safe for people like me. Their ‘Allergy Promise’ even says “We know that living with a food allergy can be tricky, so we make SunButter simple: Safe and Delicious, Every Time—We Promise.” WHAT! I’m in luuurrrve. Not only are they nut-friendly, this product is completely free of the Top 8 food allergens: Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk, Wheat, Eggs, Fish, Shellfish, and Soy. You’re welcome.

So I made all the things. My first nut-free SunButter & jelly sandwich (oh THIS is why people love peanut butter & jelly sandwiches so much), smoothies with SunButter added for thickness and protein, cucumbers & SunButter as a snack…the list goes on. I’ve lost count of how many jars of this stuff I’ve gone through at this point. But the one that has stuck the most is my new favorite breakfast. Check out the recipe below and enjoy!

Combine the rolled oats, salt, cinnamon, and water in a saucepan and turn the heat on high. I like to add just a tad extra water when I cook this because they tend to cook really fast so you lose a bit of the water right off the bat.

Bring the water to a boil and then immediately turn down to simmer. This is going to happen quickly since there isn’t much water in here so don’t go straighten your hair or watch football while you’re waiting for the boil to start.

Stir the oats frequently until the water has completely cooked into them.

Scoop the cooked oats into a bowl and top with banana, coconut flakes, cocoa chips, chia seeds, and SunButter.

In honor of Los Angeles’ Burger Week 2015, it seems appropriate to share my most recent new burger experience: In-N-Out. Being a born-and-raised East Coast girl, I never had the pleasure of taste testing this iconic fast food spot until I moved to L.A. in January. It look me 3 months to finally brave the long lines. But I did, and here’s the verdict.

Most of you are probably wondering what Taralli is and why I would be trying to make it. To be honest, I didn’t even know that this recipe was called Taralli until I decided I wanted to make it. In our family, my grandma will sometimes make these things that look kind of like a small twisted bagel – except that they’re crunchy and they have seeds in them. Since I no longer have the luxury of calling her up to make something for me, I decided it was time to attempt this family recipe.

Don’t. Judge. There’s a few reasons why I never tried sushi before, the main one being that I am allergic to nuts and I’ve always been pretty weary of Asian foods. This experience only goes to prove that (for my fellow food allergic people) it’s important to ASK about eating something rather than assuming you can or can’t have it. I struggle with this because I tend to get embarrassed of my allergies – but struggle no more! Sushi has officially entered my life.

Chocolate. Every girl’s best friend. Or at least mine anyways. I proudly try to incorporate chocolate into my diet at least once a day – mostly by adding a handful of cacao nibs to my breakfast. But this recipe is the really really good stuff. The thick, rich, deliciously wonderful chocolate you only find in the consistency of fudge. Peppermint fudge to be specific. This recipe is simple and quick, requiring only enough patience to allow the fudge to set (and I don’t have much of that so I like to lick the spatula instead).

The holiday season is finally upon us! And with that said, many of you are probably in the midst of planning your holiday get togethers with family and friends over the next few weeks. Setting the table for these occasions can sometimes seem a little troubling, especially when you want to have the perfect place settings for your guests and are not sure where to start. Say no more! Let’s get started..

The smell of roasted turkey is in the air! With Thanksgiving coming in less than a week, the scramble of what to make on the side will soon be upon us. First of all, I am a mashed potatoes girl, through and through. Put a plate of turkey meat with a heaping side main dish of fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes in front of me and you can be sure that I will polish it off. I am, and always will be a member of the clean plate club when it comes to mashed potatoes.

In honor of last Friday being National Pickle Day I figured I would share my pickle love story. Now, I know what you’re thinking..pickles? REALLY? Yes, up until last year I had profoundly sworn off these delicious, crunchy, snacks. But WHY? I’ve got no real explanation on this one. Maybe I just thought that cucumbers are so wonderful as is – why change them??

Happy #foodiefriday! I was recently in the mood for a seasonal dinner but couldn’t seem to think of what to make. In true here’s to trying… form, I took to Pinterest for some foodspiration. I settled on an apple cider marinated chicken for the bulk of the meal since I had a plethora of apples to use and wasn’t in the mood to make a pie (WHAT? Should have made the pie for dessert..). This is a fairly easy recipe that mostly requires a lot of patience above any actual cooking ability.

Welcome to my first #herestofood #foodiefriday post! Every Friday I will be sharing a new recipe of mine to inspire your weekend cooking. They might be completely brand new, they might be slightly tweaked over time, but if nothing else..they will be delicious.